There was a brief weather window in between windy, lightning-filled, rain-soaked South Florida summer thunderstorms, so our six-person crew jetted out of Fort Lauderdale’s Port Everglades inlet to see what the Galeon 800 Fly flagship could do in the unsettled sea state.
The white-tipped rollers marched at a steady cadence into the inlet. The ocean’s angry infantry did not deter the stout-feeling 800 Fly. Its bow—the tip of the spear to this yacht’s 83-foot-2-inch length overall—squashed the seaway. The LOA means there’s a lot of waterline to work with. That fact, along with the vessel’s broad-shouldered, 19-foot beam and the optional Vector Fin stabilizers and Humphree Interceptors, made the yacht sure-footed, even-keeled and confident throughout the rough-water run.
Adding to the 800 Fly’s sturdy nature, it has a solid fiberglass hull bottom with foam-cored sides and displaces about 75 tons of heft. The hardtop and superstructure are built in carbon fiber, saving top weight and assisting with center of gravity.
This yacht can get up and go in the sloppy stuff on request. My ride, Hull No. 1, was powered with optional 1,925 hp MTU diesels. Owners can choose smaller 1,800 hp MANs as well. Running in the trough and flanked by 5-footers, the MTUs spooled up to their full 2,450 rpm, resulting in a top average hop of 31.5 knots while the engines consumed 202 gph. Considering a 10 percent reserve on the 1,450-gallon fuel tank, range is about 203 nautical miles on the pins. Dialing the engines back to 2,000 rpm provided a 27-knot cruise speed while the motors burned 136 gph. At this speed, range increases to about 259 nautical miles. Looking for some extra yardage? Take the engines down 200 rpm to 1,800, and speed is a comfortable 23.8 knots at 104 gph. Range pops up to 298 nm.
Those big diesels are in an engine room with 6-foot-2-inch headroom and walking space between them, making for relatively easy servicing. There is also unimpeded access to the twin 29 kW Cummins Onan generators aft to port and starboard. Either one of those gensets can carry the 800 Fly’s power load by itself, but the builder believes in redundancy. There are two 100-amp shore-power cords for the same reason, as well as two water heaters and a fuel polisher. Seeing this operational thinking and execution makes the word robust come to mind when exploring the inside of the 800 Fly.
Close-quarters handling can be accomplished at the upper and lower helm stations, as well as the optional aft docking stations. This 800 Fly had one extra docking station in the cockpit to starboard. Owners could add one more to port. Side-Power bow and stern thrusters, also optional, are confidence inspiring when maneuvering around the dock or waiting for a bridge opening.
The yacht proved itself a capable open-water cruiser, but it’s also a vessel with family fun and entertainment at its core.
Several alfresco spaces are found on the main deck and upper deck. The cockpit has U-shaped seating and a table accessed via teak steps leading from the full-beam, hydraulic, 1,500-pound-capacity swim platform. Interestingly, the seams in the teak steps flanking the cockpit run longitudinally. Typically, they’d be run transversally. There are a lot of similar design flourishes throughout the 800 Fly. On the main deck, the teak sole has an S-curved section weaving from the cockpit into the side decks that creates a sense of movement as well as an eye-catching design.
The cockpit seating is protected under the flybridge overhang. Additionally, when the salon’s glass doors are opened and the window is raised in the portside aft bar, there is an uninterrupted indoor-outdoor entertainment space stretching from the cockpit forward 52-plus feet to the windshield.
Transiting to the foredeck—accessed via side decks wide enough that my size-10 feet could walk comfortably side by side—there is lounge seating that can be covered with a Bimini top that raises and lowers hydraulically. V-shaped seating forward of this lounge can be adjusted in angle and height, creating a respite from dock noise on the quay while guests enjoy sundowners with their feet up. There are also pantograph-style doors forward in the salon, one next to the helm to starboard, that allow side-deck access.
This yacht’s comfort quotient continues belowdecks in the form of a four-stateroom layout, all with en suite heads. (There is also a day head in the salon.) The full-beam amidships master has a queen berth, with an option for a king. The space is kept bright by hullside windows that are about 7 feet long and 34 inches high. The master is outfitted with a vanity to port and a settee to starboard. Abaft the berth to starboard is the head with a shower stall, and there is a walk-in closet to port. Headroom in the shower is about 6 feet, 6 inches.
There are two guest staterooms forward, to port and starboard, with twin berths. The forepeak VIP has a step-up berth. Two crew cabins, one for two people and one captain’s space, are aft and adjacent to the engine room. There is also a head, a mess area with fold-down seats and a table, a Samsung microwave, a two-burner Kenyon cooktop, a window looking to the swim platform that adds light into the space, and a Splendide washer and dryer. The crew area is finished to the same standard as the other spaces. Even with the engines and generator running, this space is whisper-quiet, helped in part by the Alcantara lining the bulkheads and overbuilt engine-room door.
From its ability to beat back a tempestuous sea to its rock-solid ride and large-yacht comfort and amenities, the Galeon Yachts 800 Fly will check a lot of boxes for yachtsmen ready to make the move into the crewed-yacht experience.
Bright Lights, Big Boat
One of the subtle but impactful details on board the Galeon 800 Fly is its lighting setup. The salon has multizone direct and indirect LEDs, some of which are set into curved patterns and recessed into the headliner, creating a warm, modern feeling. In places most people overlook, such as the forepeak VIP’s closet, there is even lighting in the shelving. On the flybridge, owners can adjust between blue and white lights for the bar, grill and more. It could be easy to spend a day exploring the lighting options on this boat.
Drive Your Way
The Galeon 800 Fly has upper and lower helms. Each has a Raymarine electronics package; there are three flush-mounted multifunction displays at the lower helm and two more at the flybridge station. There are also MTU displays for engine monitoring, as well as controls for the Humphree Interceptor trim system and a Xenta joystick for close-quarters maneuvering.
Inside Matters
Immediately upon entering the Galeon 800 Fly’s salon, there is a bar to port and a day head to starboard. Average headroom is 6 feet, 9 inches, with the volume enhanced by nearly 360 degrees of glass. Hull No. 1 has an oak sole, matte-finish beechwood gray veneers and Corian countertops. The galley and bar have backlit, onyxlike facades, enhancing the yacht’s upscale sensibilities. Other wood options include walnut and eucalyptus in matte and high-gloss finishes. The galley is well-equipped for meal prep with a four-burner Kenyon cooktop, Miele oven, fridge, freezer drawers and Bosch dishwasher.
In Profile
Even from a distance, the Galeon 800 Fly appears formidable. The raked nature of its exterior design, combined with a high freeboard and extended flybridge deck, gives it a presence like a lineman. The yacht, however, is also sleek—not an easy combination of traits to blend. This design feat is accomplished in part by the extensive use of structural glass. From the master stateroom’s 7-foot-long hullside windows to the nearly 360 degrees of glass in the superstructure, it all works to visually lower the profile and stretch the yacht’s lines. The windows flanking the salon’s midsection measure about 8 feet, 6 inches long by about 5 feet, 8 inches high.
Take the next step: galeonyachts.us
